Birmingham Conservatoire relocation as part of Paradise Circus redevelopment

Birmingham City University is actively working with developer Argent and Birmingham City Council to review the location of Birmingham Conservatoire in light of the proposed redevelopment plans for Paradise Circus moving forward with the submission of a planning application this Summer. 

Consideration is being given to the opportunity to relocate the prestigious music academy to Louisa Ryland House on the corner of Newhall Street and Edmund Street, which would provide fully refurbished, state-of-the-art education facilities for Birmingham Conservatoire.

The proposed plans for Paradise Circus, which are being developed by Brindleyplace developer Argent, alongside Gary Taylor’s Altitude Real Estate, would provide a replacement for the existing Adrian Boult Hall creating a new 450-seater concert hall at the heart of the new eight acre mixed use development.

Graham Rhodes Director of Estates at Birmingham City University confirmed that the negotiations were underway and the University is keen to find an affordable solution that fully satisfies the highly specialist education needs of its students, staff and other users.  He said: “We are working closely with the City Council and Argent to explore how we can create a new home for both the Conservatoire and Adrian Boult Hall that will reflect the excellence of both facilities and provide the very highest quality learning and performance environments for our students and concert goers alike.  This is an opportunity to create a new world class facility which will reflect our status as one of the UK’s leading conservatoires and we are working hard to develop the right solution for all concerned.”

Plans for Paradise Circus are on display this week through to Saturday 25th February at the Waterhall Gallery in Edmund Street as part of the pre planning application public consultation.  The Exhibition will allow local businesses, residents and other interested parties to view the display and ask questions of the development team before giving valuable feedback to further shape the proposals, prior to submission of an outline planning application.

Argent Project Director Rob Groves said: “We are fully committed to working with Birmingham City University to create the right solution for its future.  We believe that the opportunity to move the Conservatoire to a brand new facility and to build a new concert venue for the Adrian Boult Hall will enhance Birmingham’s cultural offering for the future. We are actively working towards a proposal that we hope will not only provide the Conservatoire with a great new facility, but also add real animation and energy to the proposed redevelopment.”

“We believe that our proposals for the redevelopment of the area have the capacity and capability to create a high quality development that will encourage new visitors, open up access to other parts of the city and return Birmingham’s world class historic buildings to a more suitable setting at the very heart of the city.”

The proposed redevelopment of Paradise Circus will comprise a vibrant mix of up to 1.7 million square feet of retail, commercial, civic , leisure and hotel space as well as major improvements to pedestrian access and greatly enhanced public realm, all set within a landscaped and historic setting. This eight acre site, lying between Centenary Square and Chamberlain Square, potentially comprises up to 12 new buildings set within a series of new streets and public squares. When complete, the development will reconnect other key parts of the city such as the Jewellery Quarter, Summer Row and Great Charles Street by opening up walking routes and reducing the impact of traffic and highways.